Striking mechanism for clocks



(No Model.)

H. L. NARAMORE.

' STRIKING MECHANISM FOR GLOGKS.

Patented Aug. 25, 1885.

N. PETERS, PhutoLifihugrzpher. wnsmn mn. D. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY L. NARAMORE, OF SHARON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE- HALF TO AUGUST FISCHER, OF WINCHESTER, AND JAMES F. POTTS, OF

WHITEHALL, ILLINOIS.

STRIKING MECHANISM FOR CLOCKS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 325,228, dated August 25, 1885.

Application filed April 13, 1885. (No model.) Patented in England February 20, 1884, No. 3,665; in France February 23, 1884, No. 160,529; in Belgium February 25, 1884, No, 64,283; in Germany February 26, 1884, No. 29,358, and in Canada May 27, 1884, No,

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, HENRY L. NARAMORE, residing at Sharon, in the county of Norfolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Striking Mechanism for Clocks, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to the striking mechanism of clocks of the character which use a plurality of bells.

The invention consists in a striking mechanism which causes the clock to indicate the time or to give other signals by the tone of the bell or gong, bells of different tones being used to give different signals or indicate the subdivisions of time, and the time or signal maythus be indicated by a single stroke of a bell of a given tone, although, preferably, the number of strokes will correspond to the hour or other subdivision of time.

Clocks usually have but a single bell,which is struck to indicate the time. It frequently happens that the auditor miscounts the number of strokes, or, if just awakened by the striking of the clock, is uncertain what hour has been struck.

To enable the listener to determine the hour at once, I arrange as many bells of different tones in the clock as may be necessary. I show a series of four bells or gongs, which is usually sufficient. I cause the hours of, let us say, one, five, and nine to be sounded on a particular bell or gong. The-hours two, six, and ten are sounded, let us say, on a bell of different tone. The hours three, seven, and eleven'are sounded on a bell of still a different tone or pitch, and the hours four, eight, and twelve on the remaining bell. (Of course, the series may be more or less in number.) A person hearing any bell (as No. 1) strike but a single stroke will know by the tone of the bell that it is one, five, or nine oclock, and will readily determine which of these hours it is, and so of the other hours.

In the drawings, Figure l is a face view of the counting-wheel of a clock. Fig. 2 is a plan ot same. Fig. 3 is a front elevation of part of the works of a clock, showing the countingwheel, striker, and its shifting mechanism, and a series of gongs. Fig. i is a side elevation of same parts, bells being substituted for gongs. Fig. 5 is a perspective of so much of the striking mechanism as is necessary to illustrate the principle of my invention. v Fig. 6 is a similar view of another modification, and Fig. 7 an elevation of a device for shifting the bells instead of the striker.

It is understood that the usual motors and time mechanism will be present in the clock. A indicates the counting-wheel having the usual teeth and notches, and mounted on arbors X, and controlled by counting-wire E. This wheel has on one of its faces a series of cams or bearing-faces, 1 2 3 4, &c., each cam projecting a little beyond the preceding one until the limit of the series is reached. These cams, as the wheel revolves, bear against the lever B, which is supported in proper position to press against these cams, and at the other side of the pivot 11 bear against the striker rod 0, which carries hammer G. The striker or hammer is carried by the oscillating shaft D, and may be so supported thereon as to have a movement lengthwise of said shaft, as by being pivoted thereto, as at Fig. 5, or hung to a sleeve, 0, splined thereon, Fig. 6. The shaft D is oscillated in one direction by the usual mechanism operating on the strikingwire F, and as quickly oscillated in the other direction when permitted by spring Gr, causing the hammer to strike upon a hell or gong. The cams 1, 2, 3, 4, 850., form arcs of a length corresponding to the hour to be struck, and each cam in a group projects farther than the preceding. The cams in the group are rise from the next preceding cam at such an incline as would permit the lever B to pass over the incline without shock. As the wheel A rotates, the lever B bears against one of these camfaccs, being forced in that direction by spring As the cams press against the lever B they rock this lever and force the rod G to one side (either swinging it on its pivot or sliding it with its sleeve) until the hammer is shifted l desoribed,by which thehammer may be thrown into position to strike the proper one of the bells or gongs marked S, S S or S, and the hammer will strike the predetermined number of blows (determined by the length of the cam) on its appropriate hell or gong.

It is apparent that the arrangement of cams may be varied, so that any desired combination of strikes may be made on any or all of the bells.

In the modification, Fig. 7, the bells S S S Stare shifted instead of the hammer, the spindle 11, carrying the bells, being shifted by a similar train of mechanism described for shifting the hammer. In fact, many modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Instead of the hammer being moved laterally, it may be or metal and have one or more of its faces covered with leather or similar material, and by a partial rotation present either the mutlied or the metallic side to the bell.

The specific mechanism shown in Figs. 3 l

into contact with any one of the bells.

2. In a striking-clock, a partially-rotating arbor provided with astriking-wire and a hammer pivoted upon said arbor, in combination with mechanism for shifting the hammer laterally, so as to allow .it to strike different bells, substantially as set forth.

3. In a strikingclock, the COlllblllZttlOl],\Vltll a plurality of bells of varying size and tone, of a single hammer operated by said clock for all the bells, as set forth.

I. In a clock substantially such as described, the counting-wheel 13, provided with a cam or lift adapted to operate on a lever or other device connecting said wheel with the hammer, and thereby move the hammer from one bell to another as the wheel revolves, as

, set forth.

5. In a clock substantially such as described, the lever D, in combination with the wheel B, for moving or swinging the Wire E longitudinally of the rocker-shaft, and holding it in position while the hammer strikes the hour on the bell, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I alfix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

HENRY L. NARAMORE.

Witnesses:

BIATTIE A. N. BRYANT, BERIIIA M. BRYANT. 

